“About 220,000 buildings are at risk in Istanbul,” says Erdogan

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking about seismically hazardous buildings, stated: “Around 220,000 buildings and 1.5 million auxiliary structures are at risk in Istanbul. Of these, 300,000 need urgent reconstruction.”

During a joint broadcast with ‘CNN TÜRK’ and ‘Kanal D’, Erdogan also discussed the concept of “reserve cities,” announcing that the construction of these “reserve cities” will commence, allowing individuals who wish to relocate to move there.

Risk assessments for buildings constructed before 1999 have also begun. Those buildings that are not structurally sound will be replaced with new ones. In conclusion, President Erdogan assured, “Citizens whose homes have been destroyed by the earthquake can trust us; we will accommodate each of them in sturdy and safe homes as soon as possible.”